Cement News tagged: Corporate
India: Zuari Cement gets new MD as part of Italcementi acquisition
Jamshed Naval Cooper, formerly CEO and managing director of HeidelbergCement India Ltd (HCIL), is to become managing director of Zuari Cement and managing director of HCIL, India Infoline reports. Mr Cooper, who previously worked for ACC before joining HCIL in 2006, will now be responsible for managing the affairs of both companies. Zuari Cement is an Italcementi subsidiary and the appointm...
Saudi Arabia: Eastern Province Cement Q2 profits fall 46%
Eastern Province Cement Company’s net profits dropped 46.2 per cent YoY to SAR50m (US$13.3m) in 2Q16, compared to SAR93m (US$24m) in the same period in 2015.This decrease is attributed to lower operating profit, lower sales as local demand weakens and higher production costs. The company’s profits also fell 23 per cent in the first half of 2016 to SAR137m (US$36.5m) compared to profits of S...
Cemex reports 6% rise in net consolidated sales and EBITDA
Cemex reported a six per cent YoY rise – on a like-for-like basis for the ongoing operations and adjusting for currency fluctuations – in net consolidated sales for the second quarter of 2016. The company saw its operating EBITDA advance by six per cent during the quarter to US$771m when compared with 2Q15 although on a like-for-like basis the increase was 16 per cent. The corresponding E...
India: Ambuja and ACC report profit rises for 2Q16
LafargeHolcim’s Indian subsidiaries ACC and Ambuja Cements have both reported an increase in profits for the second quarter of 2016. In the three months to June, Ambuja Cements’ net sales were up only modestly, climbing 1.9 per cent to INR25.4bn (US$378m), but profits rose much faster. These reached INR4bn (US$59.4m), a rise of 76.5 per cent YoY. Ambuja’s increased profits were mainly dr...
Spain: Cementos Portland improves loss
Cementos Portland reported a loss of nearly EUR36.8m (US$40.5m) in the first half of 2016, a 7.9 per cent YoY improvement when compared with the EUR39.9m loss in 1H15. EBITDA improved 23 per cent to EUR46m. Revenues fell by 1.8 per cent due mainly to a decrease in sales volumes in Spain and Tunisia, which contracted by 2.3 and 5.5 per cent, respectively in the first half of the year. The US...
India: UltraTech purchases more coal linkages
UltraTech Cement has won an auction for 95,000t of coal from Junadhi Mines in Chhattisgarh. The rights to use the coal are being sold off as part of a wider exercise within the Indian coal industry. UltraTech will pay INR1050/t (US$15.60/t) for the coal.
UK CMA gives final clearance in Breedon’s Hope acquisition
UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has cleared Breedon to acquire Hope Construction Materials following its acceptance of Breedon’s undertakings in lieu of a reference to a Phase 2 investigation in respect of its proposed acquisition of Hope. Breedon had proposed undertakings to the CMA to divest 14 readymix sites to an up-front buyer approved by the CMA. Following the clearance, ...
Eagle Materials advances cement volumes by 13%
In the first quarter of its financial year to 31 March, Eagle Materials' turnover, including its share of the Texas Lehigh cement joint venture, increased by 3.3 per cent to US$322.4m. The trading profit advanced by 17.9 per cent to US$71.2m and after an interest charge 13 per cent lower at US$3.9m, the pretax profit was up by 20.4 per cent to US$67.3m and the net attributable profit rose b...
Nigeria: Ashaka Cement signs NGN11bn coal power agreement
Ashaka Cement plc has signed a NGN11bn (US$35m) contract with China-based RUNH Power Corp Ltd for the construction of a 16MW lignite-fired coal power plant at its cement plant in Gombe State, Nigeria. The power plant will be operated by firing coal from Ashaka Cement-owned local coal mine reserves located in Maigana, 140km distance from the cement works. Scheduled for completion in 2018...
Lafarge Africa in 2Q16
Lafarge Africa Plc has released its financial results for 2Q16, reporting a total revenue of NGN107bn (US$344.9m). Cost of sales stood at NGN92.2bn (US$297.3m), down from NGN98bn (US$315.9m) in the same period last year and administrative/distribution and other expenses dropped to NGN12.2bn (US$39.3m) from NGN4bn (US$45.1m). The company’s revenue of NGN30.8bn (US$99.3m) fell by NGN28.5bn (US$9...
India: Lakshmi Cement gets green light to expand Sirohi limestone mine
Lakshmi Cement has been given environmental clearance to expand its opencast limestone mine in the Sirohi district of Rajasthan. Under the proposals, the mine’s capacity will be expanded from 8 to 13Mta. The firm had originally applied for permission for the project in March 2013, but environmental clearance was not given until July 2016. Work on the 390.625ha site is expected to commence i...
Cementir to acquire HeidelbergCement’s Belgian operations
Cementir has announced that it is to acquire HeidelbergCement’s Belgian assets for an enterprise value of EUR312m (US$342m). The deal primarily consists of Compagnie des Ciments Belges SA and is subject to the European Commission giving its approval. HeidelbergCement has been obliged to sell its Belgian operations as part of the process of acquiring Italcementi. In 2015 the assets generated...
Siam City Cement to acquire Holcim Lanka
Siam City Cement (SCC) has signed a deal to buy Sri Lankan cement company Holcim Lanka Ltd for US$400m. The acquisition will turn SCC into the market leader in Sri Lanka. SCC is anticipating that the acquisition of the 98.95 per cent stake in Holcim Lanka will be completed within two weeks of the date of agreement, while LafargeHolcim have said the transaction will be completed in 3Q16. SCC...
Bangladesh: Premier Cement expansion plan
Premier Cement Mills Ltd has plans to more than double its production capacity, with an approximate investment of BDT4bn (US$51m). Current production capacity stands at 6000tpd and will be increased to 16,000tpd. Of the BDT4bn investment, BDT2.09bn (US$26.7m) will be used for equipment and machinery import, and the remaining BDT1.91bn (US$24.4m) for construction and other local purposes. ...
HeidelbergCement India sees revenue rise by 7.2%
In its earnings statement for 1QFY16-17, HeidelbergCement India reported that its revenues rose by 7.2 per cent YoY, while net profits rose from INR34.4m (US$0.5m) to INR262.6m (US$3.9m). According to reports in Mint, the company has benefitted from lower fuel and electricity prices as well as rising demand. While revenues exceeded market expectations, operating profits were below foreca...
Saudi Arabia: Najran Cement reports lower 2Q16 profits
Najran Cement in Saudi Arabia has announced lower earnings during the second quarter of 2016, according to a bourse filing. Earnings fell 56.8 per cent YoY to SAR33.6m (US$8.96m) from SAR77.83m due to lower sales volumes. The gains made by an increase in average sales prices and a fall in selling and distribution expenses were offset by a slowdown of building and higher energy prices. In...